Every administration that has come upon the stage of action has promised to reduce the national debt, but for some reason, we are left deeper in the red than before. Added to this, there is also a trickle- down effect, by which many families and individuals churches, local and state governments are now also been mired in the snare of increasing debt.
We are increasingly becoming locked in a chain of circumstances, from which there will be no escape, and the time is coming when the issue will be so out of control, that we will certainly become permanent prisoners of our own devices, if we do not rise to the occasion, and earnestly begin to implement the laws and counsels of the Great physician. In the next passages, we will observe the great, eternal principle of replenishing, which is indispensable for the perpetuation of any system. Let’s read:
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Any system which does not incorporate the eternal principle of replenishing is doomed to fail, and this principle also applies to monetary issues, temporal endeavors, spiritual advancement, and every issue pertaining to our health and well-being. Take for instance, our spiritual growth and development, which is necessary for us stay the course with Jesus. No Christian will be able to abide in Christ, without daily prayer, and study of God’s word, for the word of God, as well as His Holy Spirit must be renewed in our hearts daily, if we will withstand the powerful forces of evil from within, and without.
In other words, where there is no regular prayer, or rejuvenation of our spirit through our communion with God, it’s just a matter of time before we will fall, and succumb to temptation. It’s not if, but when! Let’s read:
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp. 717>718] As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of man's carnal nature. The work of the enemy is not abrupt; it is not, at the outset, sudden and startling; it is a secret undermining of the strongholds of principle. It begins in apparently small things—the neglect to be true to God and to rely upon Him wholly.
The same principle of replenishing also applies to all financial issues, and stability, for if we indulge in the habit of binge-spending from the piggy bank, one day our financial reserves will run out. Whenever satan succeeds in getting nations and individuals trapped in a deadly cycle of recurring debt, he also suggests that the only way out of the difficulty is to borrow more money.
But for some reason, in the overwhelming majority of cases, those who subscribe to his philosophies are sunken deeper in the pit of financial slavery. It’s very, very strange, that the richest nation on the planet finds itself in the unfortunate situation of having to borrow from poorer countries.
This is the reason why God in His wisdom has set in motion the very same principle of replenishing His treasury, with the willing offerings, tithes, and gifts of His people, so that the churches, as well as His people should not be financially embarrassed. As a general rule of thumb, the habit of borrowing must be avoided, and should only be encouraged when it is absolutely necessary. If we were to follow all His wise instructions and principles, then the following verses of scripture may apply to us. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 28:9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods.
12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
But just as we must replenish ourselves spiritually, we must also replenish physically too, if we would enjoy long life, health, and well-being. What we eat directly impacts the replenishing processes, as does obedience to the other laws of health which govern our being. Any disregard, or ignorance of these laws will produce adverse results, and will certainly set the stage for the onset of various diseases, aches and pains, and ailments which may have otherwise been prevented.
One of the primary drivers of personal and national debt is the issue of increasing health care costs, and because the laws of replenishing are not now being generally implemented, we will find ourselves in a death spiral, by which we would become engulfed in irretrievable ruin of all sorts. Hence the reason why, as the health-care crisis rises to new heights, the counsels coming from The Great Physician will be more blunt, for the messages given represent a wake-up call to an emergency. Thus, the following statistics are the results of studies, and research done by governmental agencies.
In 2015, U.S. health care spending increased 5.8 percent to reach $3.2 trillion, or $9,990 per person. The coverage expansion that began in 2014 as a result of in the Affordable Care Act continued to have an impact on the growth of health care spending in 2015. Additionally, faster growth in total health care spending in 2015 was driven by stronger growth in spending for private health insurance, hospital care, physician, and clinical services, and the continued strong growth in Medicaid and retail prescription drug spending. Hospital Care (32 percent share): Spending for hospital care increased 5.6 percent.
A system such as this is unsustainable, and we will begin to observe that the health message, and the health care crisis will coincide, as we run out of all viable options, and workable solutions to address the problem. It’s very sad to see our congressmen, many of whom may be well-intentioned, suggesting this or that idea, when, if we were to individually follow some of the basic instructions given in God’s word, we would be able to reduce both our national and personal healthcare costs by many hundreds of billions of dollars per year.
As a matter of fact, because we focus more on the treatment of symptoms rather than causes, we are literally throwing money down the drain, chasing after an elusive dream. Thus, the counsel coming from The Great Physician to us today, is that it all boils down to individual responsibility in most cases, even though there are provisions and exceptions for those who are born with certain disabilities, or who may not be able to do any better.
But, the issue of our personal health and well-being, should not be a matter left for the Feds to settle, but as much as we can, we should take responsibility for our choices, and the accompanying results. The following important points are submitted for our consideration, as we address the issue of health moving forward. God much more prefers His people to be in perfect health, for the tenure of our service can be greatly extended, and The Lord can use us to do much more work in His vineyard, than if we were bogged down with health issues.
[1] Banning certain junk foods from the market will not remedy the problem, because the core issue is our freedom to choose, not the myriad of products on display at restaurants, and at supermarkets. The feds cannot be expected to ban hot dogs, French fries, sodas, or rare steak, for this will constitute the use of force, which will contrary to God’s kingdom. It is left with us to choose, whether we will follow the dietary laws and principles given in God’s word, or whether we will use our freedom to disobey.
[2] Some special interest groups have taken it upon themselves to demonize the junk food industry, and burgers, hot dogs, and French fries have often been found guilty in the court of public opinion. But, The Great Physician says it all comes down to the issue of freedom of choice, for Mc-Donald’s and KFC do not stand in their doorways with a baseball bat, to force unwilling customers to consume their various products. Furthermore, the same God who created apples, pumpkins, and fruit, also created the swine, the oyster, and the mouse, so the choice is ours.
[3] It is futile to mount a serious campaign against the companies and industries which produce junk food, for our God-given freedom of choice affords us the privilege of choosing either good or evil. In other words, we should be left completely free to choose between shrimp and black beans, between salad or french-fries, when we go out dining, for McDonalds, and Walmart are not the problem, the choice is ours. If by the grace of God, we are taken to heaven, to that perfect world, there we will find several items, and products that should never ever
be eaten. It all boils down to obedience through choice.
There are some folks who may live in Ghetto land, surrounded by drugs, crime and prostitution of all sorts, and yet those same communities have often produced pastors, bishops, teachers, and decent law-abiding citizens. The choices made by persons is what made all the difference, in most instances. The buck generally stops with the individual, and for this reason, we are largely responsible for the choices we make.
Not long ago, large sugary sodas were banned in New York city, in an effort to address the staggering increases in obesity and diabetes. But all of these sincere efforts would never produce the desired results if we do not choose wisely. In fact, whenever something unhealthy is banned, the product usually just goes underground, in the form of "Moonshine", and human nature will diligently seek out that which has been prohibited.
Hence the reason why, in the current debate over healthcare, the issues of personal choice, and our responsibility must be brought into the equation, or else, we will be forever spinning our wheels in the proverbial mud. The temperance movement, which sought to ban alcohol in the United States as the nation headed into the 20th century, produced the opposite of the intended result. In the early 1900s, states began to pass different laws, which banned alcohol sales, and consumption.
Then, in 1920, a nationwide Prohibition went into effect, but instead of eradicating the problem, it produced a great windfall for the moonshiners. Suddenly, there was no legal alcohol available. The demand for moonshine shot up like a rocket, for moonshiners couldn't keep up with the demand, which led to cheaper, sugar-based moonshine, as
well as watered-down moonshine.
Organized crime blossomed as speakeasies opened in every city. In these secret saloons, there were hidden doors, and passwords, and escape routes in case the "Feds" ever showed up to conduct a raid. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, the market for moonshine grew thin, and today, very few illegal alcohol cases are heard in the courts. [Excerpts from Science, How Stuff Works].
The reason why the nationwide ban produced the opposite effect, is because, as a general rule of thumb, banned products become more valuable to human nature, and the more they are prohibited, the more they will be sought after. This is just a by-product of fallen human nature. In the garden Eden there were a million and one trees, but the only one on which a prohibition was placed, then became the most sought after.
Similarly, we can eat by Whole Foods or we may eat at Mcdonald’s, the determining factor is whether or not we will abide by the provisions, and prohibitions given by The Great Physician, because, believe it or not, both outlets do sell fries and salads. Let’s read:
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3: 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
[4] Insurance companies are not charities, they exist to do business, and to turn a profit. No one should be deluded about whether our personal health may be of any grave concern to these institutions, from a solely compassionate perspective, for their bottom line is money. As a matter of fact, the ideal situation for an insurance company, is when healthy people enroll, which will ultimately drive down medical costs, and expenses to the institution. But from a purely empathetic perspective, they couldn’t care less whether we live or die.
The aforementioned points bring us to the counsels of The Great Physician, for in His Love-letter to the human family, He has stipulated what should, and shouldn’t be eaten. He has also given counsel on issues such as temperance, exercise, and adequate rest, so that his people may enjoy optimum health. It is then left up to us to obey, or if we so choose, to disregard His instructions, but one thing is certain, He will never employ the use of force to make us live a certain way.
The following therefore, are His counsels pertaining to the causes of the three most prominent diseases, now plaguing, and engulfing our healthcare system, namely diabetes, heart disease, and many types of cancers, most of which are preventable, if we would follow His wise counsels preemptively. Let’s read:
Psalms 77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
Leviticus 3:14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for all the fat is the Lord's.
17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Leviticus 7:22 And the Lord spake saying,
23 Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
24 The fat may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.
25 For whosoever eateth the fat of beast, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Proverbs 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
The word “Honey” covers the entire range of sweets and “goodies” in which there is to be found considerable sugar content. This includes your favorite ice-creams, sodas, chocolates, pastries, black cakes, dates, candies, lollipops, apple pies, and fruit juices. Wherever sugar in any form is to be found, it should be used in moderation if the source is good, and if the source is bad, the item should be entirely discarded.
No one should be left ignorant of the laws of cause and effect, which are often left to run their natural course, contrary to what smooth-talking preachers may say. If we follow God’s instructions, He will work within us to will and to do His good pleasure, but if we refuse, our prayers for deliverance after we indulge in deliberate disobedience, may return unanswered.
We end our short discourse with both a promise and a warning coming from The Great Physician, for it is His earnest desire that we prosper, and be in health, even as our souls prosper. The following passages should thus be clearly understood, and applied in the context. Let’s read:
Exodus 15:26 "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded.
25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised
all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
God bless!